Only officers from formed units in the National Police Service of Kenya will be deployed to Haiti.
More than 1,000 officers will be picked from the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), Anti Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), General Service Unit (GSU), and Border Patrol Unit (BPU) to form a larger team for deployment with the exercise expected to happen in two month's time probably by January 2024.
These officers have paramilitary training and are likely to work well with other personnel from countries that have agreed to send theirs to Haiti for the same mission.
The personnel from the formed units have skills that can address the needs in Haiti, officials say.
"They will be provided with a kit to use while in Haiti and can also use the uniforms they use in Kenya as they are not under UN."
RDU, ASTU and BPU are from APS while the GSU will also provide personnel from most likely the RECCE unit.
Kenya will take the command and operations of about 3,000 personnel.
Unlike a UN peacekeeping mission, where the blue-helmeted forces are under the control of the UN Department of Peace Operations, the multinational force in Haiti will be overseen by Kenya, although its forces are there with UN authorization, which gives the intervention the backing of international law.
Already there is lobbying within the services for those who want to join the mission.
The selected team will converge at a camp for a brief joint training before they depart for the mission.
At stake, is almost Sh29 billion that has been pledged by the US government to enable the mission to be successful.
The Biden administration has pledged $100 million (Sh14.5 billion) to the mission and another $100 million (Sh14.5 billion from the Defense Department in the form of intelligence, airlifts, communications and medical assistance.
Rapid Deployment Unit
Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) is under the Administration Police.
It is one of the highly trained teams under APS as it is used in various missions. Officials say the squads are deployed to every county headquarters in the country to help regions deal with various needs including riots.
The Border Patrol Unit’s Special Operations Group (SOG)
This is the newest kid on the block. It is one of the highly trained elite units within the Administration Police Service.
The personnel are based at the BPU headquarters in Kanyonyo, Kitui County and are currently deployed to terror prone areas in North Eastern and Boni Forest.
For one to qualify to be a member of SOG, he must undergo extra hardship training in various places including Kitui, Nandi and Turkana.
Anti Stock Theft Unit
Before the merger of the APS and Kenya Police in 2018, ASTU was under the General Service Unit of Kenya Police. It was later moved to under the APS.
The personnel at the unit receive the best maneuver skills as they are mostly used in tracking cattle rustlers in some of the most difficult situations.
RECCE Company (squad) is a squadron in the paramilitary arm of the Kenya Police’s General Service Unit (GSU).
The GSU RECCE Company is headquartered in Ruiru where between 500 and 2000 highly trained officers are situated.
The exact number of soldiers in the squadron is not known owing to the level of covertness and discreteness exhibited.
And officials now have confidence the personnel will deliver.